Ian Clark's "First SmackDown After Backlash 2018" Recap

This week's SmackDown Live is the fifth SmackDown after WrestleMania 34 on Apr. 8, 2018! Press F5 or refresh for more updates during the show.

Smackdown opens with Paige hitting the ring. "Welcome to Smackdown Live! We got to see the first co-branded Pay Per View, and it was a smashing success, right? We witnessed the first singles victory from the returning Daniel Bryan! We saw a surprising victory on Charlotte Flair from the Smackdown Women's Champion, Carmella! And let's talk about this WWE Title situation. Shinsuke Nakamura and AJ Styles. That match was on its way to becoming an instant classic until both men got in a low blow confrontation that neither could recover from. Now, obviously I could not foresee this when I put the match together, but we'll hear from both men later tonight. But let's talk about the next dual-branded Pay Per View, Money in the Bank! This year, we'll have two Money in the Bank matches, one for the men and one for the women. Whoever wins the briefcase will take the contract back to their brand. So we need the very best. And so, we will see who the very best is in qualifying matches, starting right now!"

Lockup, Hardy with a shove, lockup, Miz with a rear waistlock, reversed, Miz with an arm wrench, Jeff with a boot, side headlock, Miz whips out, Hardy with a shoulder tackle, splash for two, punches, both men to the floor, Jeff with a dropkick into the barricade, commercial.

Back on air, Hardy has Miz in an armbar, rope break, Hardy with an arm drag, cross arm breaker, break, armbar, arm wrench, Miz with a punch, another, whip, Hardy with a kick to the face, kick, big boot for two, Miz with a neckbreaker for two, chinlock, bow and arrow hold, Skull-Crushing Finale, blocked, Miz tosses Hardy to the floor, misses a baseball slide, crotches Hardy on the barricade, Hardy with a headbutt, leaping clothesline from the barricade, rolls Miz into the ring, punches, boot to the gut, whip, reversed, Hardy with a clothesline, atomic drop, leg drop, dropkick for two, Twist of Fate, blocked, Miz with a backslide, Hardy resists, goes for a backslide of his own, blocked, Jeff flips over, Twist of Fate, goes up top, Miz rolls out of the way, neckbreaker on the apron, commercial.

Back on air, Jeff concludes breaking something unseen from Miz, trading punches, Jeff gets the better of it, leg sweep, leg drop rollup for two, Miz with a sleeper, Jeff breaks free, Whisper in the Wind for two, Twist of Fate, blocked, presses Miz to the apron, Miz drops him across the top rope, Hardy responds with a baseball slide, suicide dive, goes up top, Miz crotches Hardy, punch, superplex, blocked, Hardy with punches, punches to the back, sunset flip powerbomb for two, dropkick in the corner, blocked with boots, Twist of Fate, reversed into a Skull Crushing Finale, reversed into a rollup for two, Hardy follows up with an enziguri, swinging dropkick in the corner, Twist of Fate, Swanton Bomb for two, reversed into a rollup for three!

Winner: The Miz

Backstage, Cesaro walks in on Sheamus eating Lucky Charms to cheer himself up after last week's loss. They blame the rest of New Day. Cesaro says he could do better, then offers to do it. Then they find out New Day stuffed their bags with pancakes.

Renee Young asks Shinsuke Nakamura about not being cleared tonight, and if the issue with AJ Styles is over. He responds, "No." before adding "Speak English". Renee points out that he's spoken English before, and he responds that he's forgotten it. Renee asks if he has anything else to say before he forgets again. He says that AJ is "nuts", but so is he, and they are not finished.

Backstage, Carmella says it's time to celebrate, but she's going to London to throw a Royal Mellabration.

We see MITB promos from Tye Dillinger and Naomi.

Charlotte comes out for a match, then The Iiconics.

Billie: "We're so sorry for your loss, but you are still an inspiration. My uncle, Craig, has a terrible stutter, has ever since he was a child, but when he saw the look on your face after he lost, can we get it on the 'Tron? That look just sent him into hysterics. He was laughing for an hour straight, tears streaming down his face, he even fell off the couch. And it cured his stutter. So for that, Charlotte, I say thank you. That look, the pain, the agony, I just want to bottle it and sell it as a fragrance. I'd call it 'disappointing' by Charlotte."

Peyton: "I think I can do that one."

Billie: "You're good, but not that good."

Peyton tries to do the face.

Billie: "Stop, it's only funny when she does it."

Peyton: "Guess I'll have to make her do it again. That contract is mine, because the future is iconic!"

Back on air, Charlotte is down on the floor, Peyton rolls her into the ring, chinlock, trading punches, Peyton tosses Charlotte into the turnbuckle, cover for two, foot choke in the corner, foot choke in the ropes, punches, chop, toss down, crossface punch, chinlock, Charlotte to her feet, throws Peyton down, trading shots, Charlotte with a whip, chop, another, a third, fourth, fifth, sixth, Peyton misses a spin kick, Charlotte with a rollup for two, back suplex, kip up, Figure Four, blocked, Peyton to the floor, Charlotte with a suicide dive, hits Kay, Peyton with a neckbreaker, cover for two, Charlotte with a neckbreaker, Kay drops her across the top rope, Peyton with a clothesline for two, rollup for two, misses a big boot, Charlotte hits a big boot, moonsault, blocked by knees, Peyton with a cover for two, knee to the head for two, goes for a suplex, reversed into a spear for two, Peyton with a rollup for two, Charlotte with a rollup for two, Figure Eight, Royce taps.

Winner: Charlotte

Backstage, Dasha asks Daniel Bryan if he's good to go tonight. He says it doesn't matter, you have to fight through the pain, Cass just angry that he tapped, and he's going to win MITB for a second time and cash in like he did in Baltimore.

Shelton Benjamin says that he made Money in the Bank famous, and Asuka vows to win Money in the Bank.

Match Three: Xavier Woods vs. Cesaro

Lockup, Woods with a side headlock, Cesaro with a snapmare, lockup, Woods with a side headlock, whip, Cesaro with a shoulder tackle, Woods with a crossbody, blocked, rollup blocked, Woods with a hurricanrana, punches in the corner, Cesaro tosses Woods into the ropes, punch, blocked, Woods with punches, Cesaro with a punch, gutwrench suplex, commercial.

Back on air, Woods is in an abdominal stretch, Cesaro with punches, Woods with chops, trading chops, Woods gets the better of it, Cesaro with a punch, Woods with a spin kick, another, running knee, Cesaro presses Woods to the apron, Woods with a kick, springboard kick for two, Cesaro tosses Woods in the the rope, wheelbarrow, blocked, Woods reverses a second attempt at a wheelbarrow slam into a flipping facebuster for two, Sheamus with a distraction, Cesaro with a rollup for two, Woods with a rollup for two, Shining Wizard, goes up top, Sheamus distracts, E throws pancakes at him, Kofi with a clothesline, Woods goes for a leg drop, Cesaro catches him with a European Uppercut for three.

Winner: Cesaro

Renee asks AJ Styles the same questions she asked Shinsuke. AJ says he stooped to Shinsuke's level, and he doesn't want to fight like that, but he will if he has to. He says he's not done with Shinsuke, and challenges him to one last match.

Backstage, The Bludgeon Brothers have mutilated action figures and other merchandise from the rest of the tag team division.

Match Four: Becky Lynch vs. Mandy Rose

Before the match, Paige tells Sonya Deville not to go out with Mandy because Absolution is dead.

Lockup, Becky shoves Mandy, arm drag, Mandy bails, climbs back in the ring, forearm, toss to the corner, stomps, whip, dropkick, cover for one, chinlock, Becky punches her way out, Mandy throws her down, trading slaps, Becky with forearms, ducks a punch, goes for the Disarmer, Mandy to the ropes, Becky hits a Bexploder, boot in the corner, Mandy blocks a second kick, rollup for three.

Winner: Mandy Rose

Main Event: Money in the Bank Qualifier: Daniel Bryan vs. Rusev

Lockup, trading arm wrenches, Rusev with a shoulder tackle, Bryan with a trip, surfboard stomp, kick to the arm, roundhouse kicks, Rusev with stomps, Bryan tosses him to the floor, suicide dive, caught, Rusev tosses him over the announce table, commercial.

Back on air, Rusev hits a suplex, stomps in the corner, Bryan to his feet, pair of running dropkicks in the corner, kick in the corner, sets Rusev up top, mounted punch, super hurricanrana, Rusev goes for the Accolade, reversed into a rollup for two, Rusev with a roundhouse kick for two, stomps, Accolade, blocked, Bryan rolls Rusev into the Yes Lock, Rusev quickly gets to the ropes, suplex, Bryan hands on his feet, roundhouse kick, calls for the knee, English pulls Rusev out of the ring, Bryan with a baseball slide to both men, running knee to Rusev from the apron, rolls him into the ring, goes up top, missile dropkick, kip up, running knee, reversed into an elevated knee to the gut, Machka Kick for three!